Terminal comprising a transceiver

Abstract

Terminals ( 1 ) comprising transceivers ( 2 ) for exchanging messages ( 8,18 ) with further transceivers ( 12 ) of further terminals ( 11 ) are provided with negotiation modules ( 5 ) for exchanging negotiation messages ( 33,34 ) with further negotiation modules ( 15 ) of the further terminals ( 11 ), to increase the flexibility. The negotiation messages ( 33,34 ) define proposal actions for activations and/or deactivations of terminal capabilities and proposal reactions to the proposal actions. As a result, it is no longer necessary that each terminal has the same entire application and that each terminal is treated the same way. Individual possibilities of different terminals are used and are allowed. Capability modules ( 4 ) exchange capability messages ( 31,32 ) with further capability modules ( 14 ) of the further terminals ( 11 ). The capability messages ( 31,32 ) define terminal capabilities such as human machine interfaces ( 7 a - 7 d ). Application modules ( 6 ) for exchanging application messages with further application modules ( 16 ) of the further terminals ( 11 ) define at least a part of an application. Application interface modules ( 6 a - 6 d ) for interfacing the application modules ( 6 ) are activatable and/or deactivatable in response to proposal reactions.

1 . A terminal ( 1 ) comprising a transceiver ( 2 ) for exchanging messages ( 8 , 18 ) with a further transceiver ( 12 ) of a further terminal ( 11 ), characterized in that the terminal ( 1 ) comprises 
 a negotiation module ( 5 ) for exchanging negotiation messages ( 33 , 34 ) with a further negotiation module ( 15 ) of the further terminal ( 11 ), at least one negotiation message ( 33 ) defining at least one proposal action for at least one activation/deactivation of at least one terminal capability in at least one terminal ( 1 , 11 ), and at least one further negotiation message ( 34 ) defining at least one proposal reaction to the at least one proposal action.    
   
   
       2 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , characterized in that the terminal ( 1 ) comprises 
 a capability module ( 4 ) for exchanging capability messages ( 31 , 32 ) with a further capability module ( 14 ) of the further terminal ( 1   1 ), at least one capability message ( 31 ) defining at least one terminal capability and at least one further capability message ( 32 ) defining at least one further terminal capability.    
   
   
       3 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1  , characterized in that the terminal ( 1 ) comprises 
 an application module ( 6 ) for exchanging application messages ( 35 , 36 ) with a further application module ( 16 ) of the further terminal ( 11 ), the application module ( 6 ) defining at least a part of at least one application and the further application module ( 16 ) defining at least a further part of the at least one application.    
   
   
       4 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 3 , characterized in that the application module ( 6 ) comprises 
 an application interface module ( 6   a - 6   d ) for interfacing the application module ( 6 ) and at least one terminal capability defined by at least one human machine interface ( 7   a - 7   d ), the application interface module ( 6   a - 6   d ) being activatable/deactivatable in response to at least one proposal reaction.    
   
   
       5 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 3 , characterized in that the application module ( 6 ) comprises 
 an application rule module ( 6   e ) for defining at least one rule for the application.    
   
   
       6 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 3 , characterized in that the application module ( 6 ) comprises 
 an application role module ( 6   f ) for defining at least one role within the application.    
   
   
       7 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 , characterized in that the messages are exchanged in a transparent way.  
   
   
       8 . The terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 ,  2  or  3 , characterized in that the messages are exchanged without the terminal ( 1 ) being a master or a slave and without the further terminal ( 11 ) being a master or a slave.  
   
   
       9 . A module for use in the terminal ( 1 ) as defined in  claim 1 .  
   
   
       10 . A method for exchanging messages ( 8 , 18 ) between a transceiver ( 2 ) of a terminal ( 1 ) and a further transceiver ( 12 ) of a further terminal ( 11 ), characterized in that the method comprises the step of 
 exchanging negotiation messages ( 33 , 34 ) between a negotiation module ( 5 ) and a further negotiation module ( 15 ) of the further terminal ( 1   1 ), at least one negotiation message ( 33 ) defining at least one proposal action for at least one activation/deactivation of at least one terminal capability in at least one terminal ( 1 , 11 ), and at least one further negotiation message ( 34 ) defining at least one proposal reaction to the at least one proposal action.    
   
   
       11 . A processor program product for exchanging messages ( 8 , 18 ) between a transceiver ( 2 ) of a terminal ( 1 ) and a further transceiver ( 12 ) of a further terminal ( 11 ), characterized in that the processor program product comprises 
 a negotiation module ( 5 ) for exchanging negotiation messages ( 33 , 34 ) with a further negotiation module ( 15 ) of the further terminal ( 11 ), at least one negotiation message ( 33 ) defining at least one proposal action for at least one activation/deactivation of at least one terminal capability in at least one terminal ( 1 , 11 ), and at least one further negotiation message ( 34 ) defining at least one proposal reaction to the at least one proposal action.    
   
   
       12 . A data carrier comprising the processor program product as defined in  claim 11.